Example of a locomotive voice and video recorder display - Date/Photographer unknown - Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

7 June 2013

Railways to Decide Whether to Install Voice Recorders in Trains

Ottawa Ontario - Ottawa is being accused of putting the interests of private railways ahead of public safety after it agreed to keep the installation of locomotive voice and video recorders voluntary.
 
Federal Transport Minister Denis Lebel issued a news release Friday saying the Conservative government supports the recommendations of a working group of the Advisory Council on Rail Safety, which endorsed the voluntary use of the recorders.
 
The committee of railway, union, and government representatives was formed to look at the issue of recording devices on trains following the fatal VIA derailment in Burlington last year.
 
NDP transportation critic Olivia Chow said the government is protecting rail companies, which are enjoying record profits, instead of railway workers and passengers.
 
"What difference does it make? If it's voluntary, why does the government even need to say anything? The government is there to set regulations. This Conservative government is failing the train passengers," she said.
 
On Tuesday, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSBC) will release its investigation report in the Burlington accident, which killed three engineers and injured dozens of passengers. Safety officials have already said, that in the absence of recording equipment, they might never know why eastbound Train 92 was travelling at 108 km/h when it should have been moving no faster than 24 km/h heading into a rail crossover.
 
The TSBC's Rob Johnston said the government's report is a step forward. "There's discussion with the regulator in the industry, and VIA has moved to voluntarily install recorders on their locomotives. They've done tests, and they are proceeding with the installation," he said.
 
VIA's regional general manager Marc Beaulieu confirmed the company will have the devices installed in all its locomotives by the end of 2014. It is working with its union to establish how they will be used.
 
"We are confident we can find a protocol that can be used to improve safety," Beaulieu said.
 
CN was part of the working group, along with Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents its engineers and conductors, and the railway will "discuss joint solutions to advance the minister's safety initiative," said spokesman Mark Hallman.
 
Teamsters president Bill Brehl, who represents track crews, questioned the safety value of recorders.
 
"Finding out afterwards exactly what happened or what people were saying, I honestly don't think that's going to add or detract from the investigation," he said.
 
Unions fear the equipment will be used to monitor employees on the job. Brehl said airlines in the U.S. install recorders but the recordings are erased if there is no incident to prompt their forensic use.
 
Independent rail consultant Greg Gormick said the recorders should be part of a fuller safety package that includes positive train control that would automatically prevent trains from going over their allowed speed. Those systems are already being installed in the U.S.
 
"If there was ever a time these railways could afford proper safety measures it's now. But they weaseled out of it," said Gormick.
 
Author unknown.

Vancouver Island
British Columbia
Canada